The Studios are the French equivalent of MGM Studios in Orlando. The park is much, much smaller though and really does seem to be a bit of a work in progress. There are lots of cranes, boarded off areas and construction work going on. They are building the Tower of Terror right now and a new cars ride is also under construction.

We arrived here at 2pm and managed to get everything done by the time the park closed at 6pm. We had expected to see their daily parade at 1:30pm, but again, like in the other park all parades were canceled during our stay due to staff strike action.

The main attractions are as follows:

Art of Disney Animation - they have an animation theatre and you can see how Disney artists bring animated characters to life. It is done in French, but there are headphones which translate what is being said into different languages. Outside you can try out a number of interactive animation displays which is quite good.

Animagique - a theatre with a performance by Disney characters and amazing puppets. It is really dark, they use mirrors, lights and special effects. It is wonderful - do not miss it. I think this is the best thing in this park.

Studio Tram Tour - this is a behind the scenes tour looking at special effects, costumes, props and vehicles. They have some interesting stuff, but it is nowhere nearly as good as the same ride in Orlando. You do also go into Catastrophe Canyon - great fire and water special effects.

Moteurs Stunt Show Spectacular - a stunt show with a car chase through the streets of a Mediterranean village. We stayed for the first 5 minutes - it was good - but very noisy with exhausts blasting, bangs, cars revving etc.. Our son hated it so we had to leave.

Rock n Roller Coaster with Aerosmith - 120 on board speakers, more G forces than an astronaut experiences and you go from 0-100km/hour in less than 3 seconds. Fantastic and the music blaring out as you ride the roller coaster is tremendous.

Overall the studios are very good, but allow half a day here at the moment and it will be more than enough. We had a slow moving 3 years old and still found we had plenty of time.

Disneyland Park is like the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, only a lot smaller. You enter along Main Street USA - 1930's America - really pretty, with Cinderella's Castle in the background. You can ride a vintage car or a horse-drawn tram along the street and this is where the daily parade takes place. We saw the Princess Parade at 4pm on our first day in the park - magical - the usual Disney characters, dancers, floats etc. Our son was entranced and we loved it too. Unfortunately, despite having 3 further days here we didn't see another parade. They were cancelled due to staff strike action - cue some very disappointed children.

The park is divided into 4 lands - Discoveryland, Fantasyland, Adventureland and Frontierland. You could probably see everything in one day if you don't have small children. We spent 2.5 days in this park with a 3 year old and comfortably got to see and do everything (we did favourite rides twice).

Fantasyland was our favourite area - themed around Disney fairy tales and fables. We most enjoyed Peter Pan's flight - fly over London in a pirate ship and join Peter Pan in Neverland. It's wonderful and one of the few rides we had to queue for - only for 30 minutes though.

We also loved the rides through the story of Snow White and Pinochio and It's A Small World. Tip - if there is a queue for Casey Jr train don't bother. We stood in line for over an hour, all for a 2 minute disappointing train ride around a little track.

Adventureland is wonderfully themed. Adventureisle is great with lots of caves, bridges, tunnels and waterfalls to explore. Pirates of the Caribbean is the main ride - an indoor boat trip through pirate scenes, OK but a bit too long. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril is a small rollercoaster - fun, but not big on thrills.

Frontierland takes you back to the Wild West - the most disappointing land as there was not a lot to do. Big Thunder Mountain was closed and there isn't much else. The Tarzan Show, performed at the Chaparal Theatre though is great - music, aerial trapeze and gymnastics - unmissable.

Discoveryland is Disney's futuristic area. We enjoyed Buzz Lightyear - shooting targets with a laser gun but thought the Star Tours simulator and Space Mountain were average. Our son adored Autopia - cars driving along the motorway of the future 1950's style.

We really enjoyed Disneyland Park. It is not full of thrill rides and rollercoasters, but is magical, enchanting and has so much for the young and the young at heart. Granted, it is not as good as the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, but is a convenient alternative for those of us who live in Europe. We loved it and would not hesitate to go back.

I don’t reckon that this compares with the Florida Disney, but if you’re in Europe and fancy a bit of razza-matazz, then you’re guaranteed that in Euro Disney World. It’s a fairly straightforward drive up the road from Fontainebleau to the Disney Park, and the route is as you’d expect, extremely well signposted.

Admission is around the £30 mark, and it’s setup with classic Disney expertise. Upon entry, you’ll find yourself in the middle of the hustle and bustle of an early 20th Century US street, and if the queues aren’t too great I’d suggest you climb onto one of the horse drawn trams that run its length. There are about half-a-dozen parades held in the park each day, and I’d recommend that you checkout the timing of these so you can make sure you’re there in time. Indeed a bit of pre-planning won’t go amiss, as that what will ensure that you see the shows and parades that are high on your agenda. I reckon a couple of days are required to do the park justice, and that way you’ll manage to see and enjoy most of the attractions.

The only problem is that the weather isn’t guaranteed, and I can imagine it will be pretty miserable if the rain is falling. We had a hot summer’s day with clear blue skies, our memories are of a great fun-packed day. Of course, Euro-Disney is packed with opportunities to buy souvenirs, and if you have young children you’ll need plenty of euros. The products are of good quality, but they aren’t particularly cheap—but where else can you savour the memory. The place is also littered with restaurants—we were a bit surprised at the range, and the fact that prices were generally quite reasonable. As your not allowed to take your own food into the park, that was quite reassuring. Other than rides, there are some "educational attractions" including the history of the statue of Liberty (remember there is a link with Paris) and "inventions arcade."

Thirty kilometres to the north of Paris, on the A1, is a different kind of theme park. Both our two boys were well and truly into Asterix, and what better place to live the dream than Asterix Parc. This park opened in 1989 and has been cautiously developing its attractions over the years. We found this to be a truly French experience, and there were plenty of seemingly ad hoc occurrences as we picked our way around the site. The Gaulish Village had magicians, while acrobats and characters appeared as if from no-where to create a great ambiance. There are plenty of rides for both children and adults alike. The obligatory dolphin show is at hand, and although I’ll never tire of their wonderful antics I’m quite sure that they added nothing significant to this theme park. At around €35 (€25 for children), I don’t reckon that it’s bad value for money.

The Walt Disney Studios was the latest additional to the Disneyland Resort Paris and opened its doors in May 2002. Loosely fashioned on the MGM/Disney Studios at Walt Disney World in Florida, this park not only explores the history of Hollywood but also goes behind the scenes of European film and theatre.

The park is located directly opposite the RER train station and close to Disney Village. For most people staying at Disneyland Paris or other neighbouring sites, your theme park ticket will now allow you entry to this park as well as the Magic Kingdom Park. If not, you will be able to purchase a single-entry, single-park ticket. A single day ticket costs around 30 Euros per adult and 20 Euros per child (aged 9 and under).

What’s there?

As you enter the park, the first difference between this and many of the other theme parks is that you are undercover, and whilst in this indoor safe haven, you can explore cafes and shops. There are to many rides to list here, but here are my top five and reasons why!

 

Rock’n’roller coaster starring Aerosmith

A fast paced coaster that takes you from 0 to 60mph in under 3 seconds and then loops and twists as you chase Aerosmith. Great fun but not for the faint-hearted.

 

Moteurs…Action!

This live action show highlights the driving skills of some highly trained Disney staff and tests your nerves. If you are feeling brave, you can even volunteer to join in the action. This show is on several times a day, but make sure you get there at least 30 minutes prior to showtime to ensure that you get a good seat!

 

Studio Tram Tour

This is a great attraction that takes a sneak peak into the world of film and television production, hosted by Jeremy Irons. Without wishing to give too much away, wear some waterproof clothing if you sit on the LEFT-hand side of the shuttle vehicle.

Other things to note: Most of the food in this park is fast food (burgers, pizzas, the occasional salad, etc.), so you will struggle to fin gourmet cuisine here!

The main language spoken here is obviously French, but many of the staff members speak passable English, and all the attractions offer multiple language options, making this a truly international affair!

The attractions in this park are attractions rather than rides, and this park is great, therefore, for people who do not want to be running around at 100mph all day and also who want more sit-down time!

When we went to Disneyland, it was at the start of the new year, in winter. It was cold, but there were nearly no queues. You could simply walk onto any ride you wanted.

The park is in two sections, the amusement park and the studios. The studios are aimed at kids to explain what goes on behind the scenes in Disney. It wasn't my cup of tea, too childish. The part with all of the rides was great, though, especially the Indiana Jones ride and Thunder Mountain. The day will cost a pretty penny at the end of the day when you take the cost of the train. (There is an option of combining the two sections of the park on the one ticket for an extra €10, saving about €30 euro.) Food is expensive, and there is a long street of souvenir shops on the way in and out (where nothing is cheap).